Sherry and Melissa begin today’s episode by checking in about their recent health challenges and flare-ups. They chat about the brain fatigue and exhaustion that often comes with sensory loss, and Melissa explains how she overflowed her “inflammation bucket”. They chat about the personal sacrifice it takes to live with chronic illness, the importance of meeting mental health needs for fun and connection, and having balance in their pursuit to eat a clean, anti-inflammatory diet. Sherry also describes how a sandwich led to a spiritual revelation with her therapist, and how her sense of “gallows humor” has helped her get through so many difficult situations in life.

Next, Sherry and Melissa reflect on the idea that we are only inhabiting our bodies for a short time. This can offer a sense of peace as we navigate life with chronic illness, and knowing that everything will be okay can empower us to take on a liberating “Everything is magic/F*** the world” mentality. Our hosts talk about calling on a divine light or source for help and compassion when we feel we can’t give them to ourselves, and Sherry offers one of her favorite mantras to remember that we don’t have to love what we’re going through to love the one going through it. Finally, Melissa concludes the show with mindfulness breathing exercises.

This podcast is not psychotherapy and does not contain medical advice, but is simply a recording of two friends talking.

Episode Highlights:

• Sherry’s plasma exchange and tunneled catheter
• Melissa’s recent flare-up with her hearing loss condition, and conflicting advice she’s received about how to cope with flare-ups
• Individuals with sensory loss tend to get easily fatigued
• After a scare, Melissa is feeling grateful for her hearing, albeit limited, and more connected with her full self
• She overflowed her inflammation bucket
• Learning to live with physical limitations is an ongoing process
• Sometimes they’ll push themselves and suffer the consequences later, but it can be worth it to meet mental health and connection needs (e.g., Sherry’s recent barbeque)
• You can’t neglect your other human needs
• An anti-inflammatory diet is important, but should not consume you to the point of obsession
• You need to take care of yourself and pay attention to what your body is telling you
• Sherry’s use of  “gallows humor” to get through tough situations in life
• She can have a sense of humor because she knows everything is fine and she is only inhabiting this body for a while
• Everything is magic/F*** the world
• Darkness is a wonderful teacher
• It’s important to have love and compassion for yourself, and Sherry finds it helpful to call on a divine light for this when she feels she can’t give it to herself
• Calming breathing exercises

Quotes:

“Since I went all holistic and natural, I haven't really been in a medical environment or a hospital for about five years.”

“Every single person I dealt with was fantastic. They were kind and compassionate and sweet.”

“My struggle bus is up on blocks.”

“I had a flare up of endolymphatic hydrops condition where I have the roaring in my ears and the hearing loss, and I went and got a hearing test. And I had lost a big chunk of my low frequency hearing.”

“I have a little less than 50% hearing in my good ear.”

“The whole thing is exhausting. It's just freaking exhausting to try to navigate life.”

“We get really easily fatigued, because a portion of our brain is just not being utilized the way it's normally supposed to be utilized.”

“Right now I'm in a place where I'm so grateful for hearing, and also just more connected with my whole self.”

“I overflowed my...